DC

Welcome to day three of the TI7 regional roulette. Today we are looking at the land of the meme, home of the flame, the Americas.

THE AMERICAS – THE TEAMS

It came as no surprise when Valve announced that fan favorite EG would be receiving a direct invite to the International. What may have come as a surprise, however, was the level of competition in the North American qualifier. For the two North American Qualifier slots Cloud9 and Digital Chaos prevailed over TI6 runner up Planet Odd, and each came close to losing their spot to Team Freedom. On the other hand, Team Infamous stomped all their matches in the South American Qualifier, even against SG Esports who eliminated top seed Team Secret at the Kiev Major. In total, there are three North American teams and one South American team attending and they’re all going to be a pleasure to watch. Let’s take a look at who will be heading to Seattle.

Evil Geniuses – Direct Invite

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Arteezy

Position 2 (Mid) – SumaiL

Position 3 (Offlane) – UNiVeRsE

Position 4 (Support) – Zai

Position 5 (Support) – Cr1t-

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This is a team built to win TI7, and we already know more-or-less what to expect from them. Arteezy has successfully adapted to playing carry sans-trilane, Sumail is consistently putting out superstar performances, Zai is perfectly suited to this meta, Universe remains the best offlaner in the world, and Cr1t is proving to be a masterful drafter. The question is, what surprises lay in store for them and will they be able to adapt in time?

One thing that is on EG’s side is history. Irrelevant of the players, in the last seven Valve events, EG have finished top four at six of them. EG are a championship team that show up when they need to. Cr1t- and the boys will be hoping to add another trophy to the cabinet. They have the skill, all they need to do is apply it.

Cloud9 (Formerly Team NP) – North American Qualifier

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – EternaLEnVy

Position 2 (Mid) – FATA-

Position 3 (Offlane) – MSS

Position 4 (Support) – Aui_2000

Position 5 (Support) – pieliedie

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If you have been living under a rock in the last month, the above picture will confuse you. Cloud9 have picked up team NP for their trip to The International. In what some are calling the most elaborate kick of all time— Eternal Envy has essentially recreated their 2014 lineup with MSS instead of Bone7. Joining them as a coach will be the brains behind Team Freedom, Stan_King. Hopefully he is able to help them step up their game and keep them in the running as long as possible, because there are few things more entertaining than watching Eternal Envy play.

Since replacing 1437 and SVG the team has been showing decent results, taking 3rd at the Manila Masters, 2nd at ZOTAC, and 4th at The Summit 7. An improvement over the past roster for sure, but not enough to warrant a direct invite— now they have a chance to cement themselves as one of the top teams in North America, deserving of direct invites to future Majors.

Digital Chaos (Formerly Team Onyx) – North American Qualifier

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Mason

Position 2 (Mid) – Abed

Position 3 (Offlane) – Forev

Position 4 (Support) – Bulba

Position 5 (Support) – DuBu

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Team Onyx have now been picked up by Digital Chaos after they beat out Complexity and NP (now Cloud9) in the North American qualifier for the Kiev Major. After a last place finish at Kiev, changes had to be made, Bulba moved to support, Forev joined as offlane, and Demon was let go.

Mason is known for his independent carry play style, well suited to making an impact after being left alone while his team plays around their star-player Abed. Now that the pressure is off of Bulba, with the addition of one of the best offlaners in the world, he is able to focus on finding opportunities and making calls for the team. If they manage not to out-draft themselves we might just see them place better than several established teams and direct invites.

Infamous – South American Qualifier

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Benjaz

Position 2 (Mid) – Timado

Position 3 (Offlane) – Kingteka

Position 4 (Support) – Matthew

Position 5 (Support) – Accel

—

After stumbling in the Kiev Major playoffs, Infamous kept their safelane duo of Benjaz and Accel and brought in Timado, Kingteka, and Matthew. Up until their elimination from the Kiev Major qualifier Timado had been playing with Team Freedom and showing a lot of promise as a young and up-and-coming player. Kingteka on the other hand has been around for a while and is known as one of the best offlaners in South America, and for intentionally feeding in pubs.

Infamous are going into TI with a distinct advantage, since they are not seen as a big threat they are a favored practice partner of many top teams and those who don’t scrim them will probably choose to focus their study on teams they deem more dangerous. They are the jewel of the South American scene and as a result of the Valve’s decision to hold a separate SA qualifier have been given a chance to come in as the underdogs and show what the region is capable of.

THE AMERICAS – SUMMARY

Of all the regions, the Americas have the most interesting story-lines heading into Kiev. Firstly, it will be C9 vs Secret. Sure Puppy and EE may have moved on from their past disagreements but in the heart of fans the drama is still alive.

Secondly, EG come into the event with questions about the current roster. Results show they can put up a fight against the best of the best, but even top 6 is not a foregone conclusion. Will Arteezy and Zai get that TI win they missed out on when they left EG? Will Sumail and Universe be the first repeat TI winners? Will Cr1t outperform his former team, OG?

Where do you think the American teams will place when it’s all said and done? Let me know in the comments below.

Featured image courtesy of Dotabuff.

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Within competitive Dota 2, there is always one question that is repeated over and over again. Who are the top 10 teams in the world? The fluidity of Dota means that a team can be the best for a tournament, but then struggle to replicate that success at the next event.

With the Kiev Major on the horizon, it seems like a perfect time to take a look at who the current top 10 Dota 2 teams in the world are. The criteria for this list is that they have to have an active five man roster. This list is not based solely on a team’s performances on LAN and will focus more on events since the 7.00 update.

Number 10 – VIRTUS PRO

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Ramzes666

Position 2 (Mid) – No[o]ne

Position 3 (Offlane) – 9Pashaebashu

Position 4 (Support) – Lil

Position 5 (Support) – Solo

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Rewind back to Boston and VP would have been in the top two best teams in the world. However, times have changed, and a new patch and several issues have hit the VP team hard. Having recently forfeited the DAC CIS Qualifiers due to connection issues, VP look to be struggling. All this aside, they still have an immensely talented roster that is capable of winning any tournament they enter.

VP are a true CIS team. Known for their ability to overwhelm teams through sheer aggression, they are able to control games from start to finish. They have also been pioneers of unorthodox strategies such as the position four Phantom Assassin or Weaver in the past. They also have arguably one of the best Carry players in the world. Roman “RAMZES666” Hushnarev may only be 17, but has been playing competitively since 2015. VP have built a team around him, which has allowed them to compete at the very top level.

Kiev will be make or break for VP. Failure to qualify will likely result in a team change. A good performance at the event may reinvigorate the side. VP can rise back to the upper echelons of competitive Dota. Whether they do or not is a separate discussion.

Team Secret have been through a period of transition. After the EE blog was released, Team Secret looked to be dead in the water. Clement “Puppey” Ivanov had other ideas, however. He made the interesting decision to take some of the best talents from SEA in Pyo “MP” No-a and Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng. He also added promising offlaner Maurice “Khezu” Gutmann, formally of Escape Gaming (Now NiP), to the squad. Secret has all the pieces of a top tier squad. Getting them to fit together, however, is difficult. Secret has been showing promise in recent months but continuously fall short.

With his current team, Puppey has what he has always wanted, four players who will listen to him unconditionally. Secret has shown that they can pull off strong performances against the top sides, and this is why they have made the Top 10. In Johan “PieLieDie” Astrom, you have arguably the most selfless position five in the game. Referred to as DieDieDie by fans, Pie has no issues with sacrificing himself for the greater good. It is his selfless nature that allows Secret to run greedy line-ups that will see Puppey receive the same farm as Khezu.

Secret are currently setting up a solid foundation before making their main assault on the top teams of competitive Dota. With one spot available in the EU qualifiers for Kiev, this is a make or break time for Puppey and the rest of Team Secret.

Number 8 – Team Faceless

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Black^

Position 2 (Mid) – Jabz

Position 3 (Offlane) –iceiceice

Position 4 (Support) – xy-

Position 5 (Support) – NutZ

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Faceless are the Kings of SEA. What does that get them? According to valve, not that much. Faceless missed out on an invite to Kiev in favor of teams from EU, NA, and China. SEA is a region that is struggling, having recently lost top talent to EU and NA based teams. Faceless, however, are the bastion of hope for SEA.

The team is currently dominating SEA, as shown by their recent results in the Mr. Cat Invitational. In the seven games they have played so far, they won six, 2-0, and tied one, 1-1. Faceless are a big fish in a small pond. The current issue Faceless are experiencing is translating their regional success to an international level.

Daryl Koh “Iceiceice” Pei Xiang has flourished as the team’s captain and has nurtured Jabz, xy-, and NutZ. Faceless have been shown to understand the meta very well, abusing the different pulls available on the Radiant side. This innovation makes Faceless a team to fear.

NUMBER 7 – VG.J

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Agressif

Position 2 (Mid) – Freeze

Position 3 (Offlane) – rOtk

Position 4 (Support) – fy

Position 5 (Support) – Fenrir

—

Team VG.J are the new kids on the block, but they have evidenced that they are one of the best teams in the world. A strong second place finish at StarLadder showed that the team has promise. Valve agreed as they were given a direct invite to Kiev.

Having three legends of Chinese Dota in rOtK, fy, and Fenrir in the squad means that they are instant fan favorites. Combine this with the solid play of Carry player Agressif, and the unpredictability on pub-star Mid player Freeze. That makes a strong roster. The main issue the team faces is the unpredictability of Freeze.

In a few games at StarLadder, Freeze made some questionable plays which often put VG.J on the back foot. StarLadder, however, was the team’s first international LAN event and was an excellent learning experience for the new squad. With DAC and Kiev coming up, VG.J have a chance to prove themselves as a top squad.

NUMBER 6 – Digital Chaos

Image courtesy of http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Resolution

Position 2 (Mid) – w33

Position 3 (Offlane) – MoonMeander

Position 4 (Support) – MiSeRy

Position 5 (Support) – Saksa

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DC went from 100 to 0 real quick in 2017. Having had an amazing 2016 with a second place finish at TI6 and a top four finish at The Boston Major, things were looking good for DC. 2017 started in the best possible way as the team won ESL One Genting. Since then, however, things have been in a downward decline. Bottom two finishes at Dota Pit and StarLadder have left DC looking vulnerable. To top it off, they also failed to qualify for DAC.

The team got some excellent news when they were given a direct invite to Kiev, saving them from the difficult NA qualifiers. They hope that Kiev can reignite the fire under the team as they look to achieve a strong placing at the event.

Many consider Aliwi “w33” Omar one of the best Midlaners in the world, and with good reason. During their victory at ESL One Genting, he demonstrated immense skill, often dominating his lane. The rest of the team are solid, and the addition of David “MoonMeander” Tan following TI has added a flashy playmaker to the squad. DC will have to perform at Kiev or all that they have built in the past six months may be under threat.

NUMBER 5 – Wings Gaming

Image courtesy of http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Shadow

Position 2 (Mid) – Blink

Position 3 (Offlane) – Faith_bian

Position 4 (Support) – y’

Position 5 (Support) – iceice

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Having won TI6, Wings were on top of the world. Nowadays, not so much. After a disappointing placing at Boston, Wings have struggled to reproduce the form of 2016. In both ESL One Genting and StarLadder, they have been knocked out by two Chinese teams, Newbee and VG.J respectively.

Often called the innovators of Dota, Wings are famed for the unpredictable drafts and their consistent playstyle. Recently, however, they seem to be unsure of the direction they are heading in. StarLadder was a perfect example, as they did not draft the same hero more than two times. They were eventually knocked out in the second round.

They still, however, make the top five best teams in the world based on what they can achieve. They have shown sparks of brilliance at both ESL and Dota Pit. In some respects, receiving consistent direct invites may be a curse rather than a blessing. The lack of play time has shown them to be rusty, and in some cases, behind the meta. Having only played two tournaments so far in 2017, Wings need to find their mojo again.

NUMBER 4 – Newbee

Image courtesy of http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Uuu9

Position 2 (Mid) – Sccc

Position 3 (Offlane) – Kpii

Position 4 (Support) – Faith

Position 5 (Support) – Kaka

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Newbee are one of the best teams in China currently. It’s a toss up between them and VG.J. Newbee suffers from a similar problem to Wings, a lack of game time. The difference, however, is that when Newbee shows up at a tournament, they always stand a chance of winning.

Dota is a game of fine margins, and ESL One Genting evidenced this. An epic back and forth series that ended with them losing 2-3 in the Grand Finals, highlights how strong this team is. They could have very easily won the series, but seemed to run out of steam mentally. Having received a direct invite to Kiev, they will again not have to worry about the qualifiers. This means they may have some rust heading into the tournament.

Any side possessing arguably the best mid player in China Song “Sccc” Chun, should be a challenger in any tournament. Combine this with the solidity of the rest of the roster, Newbee are a team to be feared. DAC and Kiev will offer Newbee the chance to prove this to fans that may still have doubts.

NUMBER 3 – Team Liquid

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – MATUMBAMAN

Position 2 (Mid) – Miracle-

Position 3 (Offlane) – MinD_ContRoL

Position 4 (Support) – GH

Position 5 (Support) – KuroKy

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If this list was being compiled after Kiev, Liquid would most likely be number one. The new and improved Liquid have set the scene. They have won both the LAN’s they have attended in dominating fashion. At the recent StarLadder LAN, they only dropped two maps the whole event. Liquid is showing dominance on a level that Secret 1.0 showed in 2015, before TI5.

Possessing three players with over 9k MMR shows that the team has potential. In addition, they have one of the two best captains in the world, Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi. Liquid has been able to live up to expectations in recent months, dominating every event they have attended.

For Liquid to take the next step, they need to achieve consistency and stay at the top for longer than two events. The best teams don’t just win one event, they consistently win or place well. Liquid look in form and hope to carry that momentum into DAC and Kiev.

NUMBER 2 – Evil Geniuses

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Arteezy

Position 2 (Mid) – SumaiL

Position 3 (Offlane) – UNiVeRsE

Position 4 (Support) – Zai

Position 5 (Support) – Cr1t-

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Coming in at number two is Evil Geniuses. They miss out narrowly on the top spot, very narrowly. Since establishing their new roster, EG has not finished below fourth in any event they have participated in. On the new patch, EG has shown dominance, winning both events they have entered.

EG have managed to assemble a God-Squad like no other. Not only do they have some of the best players in the world, they are playing well together. They showed at Dota Pit that they are a force to be reckoned with. The only issue they have is a lack of tournament participation. After winning Dota Pit in January, EG have only played one competitive series, a show match against Complexity in March. That’s six weeks of no competitive Dota. This is the main reason they miss out on the top spot.

NUMBER 1 – OG

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Roster:

Position 1 (Carry) – Notail

Position 2 (Mid) – Ana

Position 3 (Offlane) – s4

Position 4 (Support) – JerAx

Position 5 (Support) – Fly

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OG takes the top spot as the best team in the world. Choosing between OG and EG was tremendously difficult as there are strong arguments for both teams being number one.

OG take the top spot due to consistency. They have placed either first or second in six of the last seven tournaments they have attended. Having that level of consistency at the top level of Dota is amazing. There were questions surrounding the squad when it was formed. Many people believed that Gustav “s4” Magnusson would not be able to transition to offlane. In fact, he has been one of the stand-out performers on this squad. His partnership with Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka was a pivotal part of the win at Boston.

Tal “Fly” Aizik is the best Captain in the world, and he marshalls his team with a ruthless efficiency. Fly and the boys play with a killer instinct, waiting until the opposition makes a mistake and then pouncing on them. OG have shown that having the biggest names doesn’t make you the best team. Instead, they have focused on building a consistent squad that knows how to win.

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Agree or Disagree with my rankings? Let us know in the comments below.

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With StarLadder in the books, it is time to look at what we learned from the event. Eight of the best teams in the world arrived in China with the hopes of winning StarLadder Season 3. With so many amazing plays, there was a lot to take from the event. Before we get into what we learned, let’s take a look at the final placings.

What we learned from StarLadder

Are Liquid back?

Courtesy of Twitter.com/TeamLiquid

This was Liquid’s first LAN event since late 2016. Heading into the event they were undefeated in their last 12 games. Many people were predicting a high finish from the squad. However, not many will have expected the level of dominance that liquid was able to exert over the competition. In total, they played four matches, and finished with a record of 9-2. Only dropping maps to VG.J in the two games they played against each other.

Having three players with over 9k MMR can be both a blessing and a curse. The expectations on the team are high, considering that on paper they are one of the best sides in the world. However, Dota is not played on paper, and as TNC showed at TI, anything can happen in a game of Dota. Liquid looked to be on a different level to the majority of other teams in the tournament. With DAC at the end of March, Liquid will surely be among the favorites to take that event. Their strong performance will have likely secured them a direct invite to the Kiev Major. The future is bright for Team Liquid. The question is, can they translate one good tournament into consistent results?

GH is a God

Now many people may have already known this, but Liquid’s new four position showed this weekend that he is one of the best players in the game. With decision making that is nearly unmatched and a complete understanding of the game, GH made Liquid fans say, “Jerax who?”

GH demonstrated that you do not have to be a mid player to make flashy plays. His Wisp play really showcased how good of a player he is. When it comes to MVP’s, GH is definitely a name that should be discussed. Liquid fans will be hoping that the impressive performances can continue into DAC and beyond.

TNC show that they can compete

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Having taken the crown at WESG, a tournament that many people have discredited, TNC struggled to qualify for major events. Normally playing second fiddle to Faceless, this event was a chance for TNC to show that they can compete on the international stage. Being in the easier Group A definitely helped them as they easily swept aside IG.V before a hard fought victory against Team Secret. TNC hopes that a solid 3rd-4th finish will earn them a direct invite to the Kiev Major. TNC still need to achieve consistent results in big tournaments, and a direct invite to Kiev may help them achieve this.

DC continue to struggle

Image courtesy of http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2

Winning ESL One Genting may have been the worst thing that has happened to DC in a long time. Since winning ESL One, they have finished bottom two in both LAN events they have attended. They have also failed to qualify for DAC. However, this should not have an impact on them receiving a direct invite.

If they do receive a direct invite to Kiev, DC should thank their lucky stars as on current form they may fail to qualify for the event. Right now DC should be hoping they have secured an invite to Kiev, and then taking a step away to try and regroup themselves. Whether it is the patch or just a rough period, DC have issues they need to address. Having time as a team to reestablish the top tier communication that saw them win ESL will be important for the team moving forward.

VG.J Turn up when it matters

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

StarLadder was the LAN debut of VG.J, and the newly created God-squad did not disappoint. Finishing second in your debut event can only be a good thing. Considering they only lost against Liquid shows that VG.J are a team to be feared. With this dominant performance, they have given themselves an outside chance of securing an invite to the Kiev Major.

Having one of the best four positions to ever play the game in the shape of Fy, means that VG.J have the ability to pull off very flashy plays. The team plays well around Chinese pubstar Freeze, who had a hit and miss event. Should he build the consistency required to compete at the top level, VG.J could be in for a good performance at Kiev.

Lyrical has a way with words

Having heard very little of Gabriel “Lyrical” Cruz, it may have been a surprise to some when he was announced as a caster for the event. StarLadder was the first significant offline event that Lyrical has casted, and it seemed as if it was his 100th. Working with BTS, you can hear echoes of KotlGuy and LD mesh together into Lyrical’s excellent casting throughout the event.

Check out a highlight from Liquid vs. VG.J to hear his excellent casting:

Hopefully we will see more of Lyrical at upcoming events, and maybe even at the Kiev Major.

StarLadder Final Thoughts

StarLadder showed a few things, the most important being that Liquid looked amazing throughout the event. They never once looked like they would lose a series and had the composure of champions. VG.J gave an excellent account of themselves and shocked many by defeating OG on their way to the finals.

StarLadder was a great event, and with DAC and the Kiev Major qualifiers coming up, March looks to be an excellent month for competitive Dota 2 action.

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Most fans will remember Dota 2 Asian Championships 2015 (DAC) as the breakout event for superstar mid laner Syed “Sumail” Hassan. After taking a break throughout 2016, it was announced that DAC would be returning to our screens in March 2017.

The qualifiers for the event are scheduled from February 3rd-13th and are being split into four different regions (the China qualifiers have already been completed):

Americas(one qualification spot)

SEA (one qualification spot)

Europe (one qualification spot)

CIS (one qualification spot)

DAC Format

Teams will be split into two groups of four teams, playing a double elimination format with all games being best-of-three. The top two of each group will then advance to a double-elimination bracket with the winning team booking themselves a spot in the LAN finals in March/April.

Americas DAC Qualifiers

Eight of the best teams based in North and South America will take part in the online qualifiers for a spot at DAC. The teams will be fighting it out for one spot, and with such a stacked field the competition will be of the highest level.

Having finished second at TI, third/fourth at Boston, and first at ESL One Genting, many would have expected DC to be given a direct invite to the event. This was not the case however. They have instead been thrown to the wolves that is the Americas regional qualifiers. Joining DC fans can look forward to seeing the following teams:

Group A

DC

Wanted (PPD’s team)

Complexity Gaming

Team Freedom

Group B

Team NP

SG e-sports

Infamous

Team Onyx

What to expect

With the StarLadder qualifiers wrapping up, it’s straight from the frying pan and in to the fire for most of these teams. Of the eight teams competing, six of them competed in the StarLadder qualifiers. Team NP, DC, Complexity, Team Onyx, Infamous, and Team Freedom will be hoping that they build on the events of StarLadder.

Ones to watch

Heading into the qualifiers, Team NP and DC look like they will be competing for the top spot, as they have done for the majority of the StarLadder qualifiers. If you are looking for an underdog, both Team Onyx and WanteD have the ability to give the more established teams a run for their money.

With Abed finally joining up with Team Onyx, they hope to take advantage of the easy group and progress to the playoffs where they stand a good chance of qualifying. WanteD are an unknown quantity, but with a roster captained by PPD, good things can be expected. WanteD are unfortunately in a group with DC, Complexity, and Team Freedom so progression will be difficult. Fans will be hoping that PPD can prove he is still one of the most formidable drafters in the world and draft his team to victory.

Image courtesy of http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2

Prediction – Team NP

Dark Horse – Team Onyx

SEA DAC Qualifiers

The teams in SEA are beginning to rise in power. With TNC winning WESG and Faceless finishing third at Dota Pit, the future looks bright for the region. With five of the competing teams possessing the ability to finish in the top spot, there will be some stiff competition. The only sour note hanging over the qualifiers is that they are missing Fnatic who pulled out of the qualifiers due to team issues. Fnatic have been placed by Next Generation, who will be hoping to seize the opportunity.

Group A

Team Faceless

Signature.Trust

WarriorsGaming.Unity

Next Generation

Group B

TNC Pro Team

Rex Regum

Mineski.GGNetwork

Execration

What to expect

The recent StarLadder qualifiers saw TNC finish one point above Team Faceless. Having seen the top spot be decided by a point will give fans a taste of what to expect. Faceless will be hoping to avenge the disappointment of narrowly missing out in the StarLadder qualifiers.

Ones to watch

TNC have had a very good start to the year, winning WESG and also qualifying for StarLadder, so they will be coming into the qualifiers in form. Being one of the more consistent teams in the region, they will inevitably mount a strong challenge for the number one spot at DAC. Trying to stop them will be Team Faceless. Faceless have been hit or miss in their time together and fans are hoping they can continue their strong start to 2017.

On the flip side, Execration recently showed cracks in the StarLadder qualifiers, finishing a disappointing sixth out of eight possible places. Possessing some of the more talented players in the region, they should kick into gear for the DAC qualifiers and be a serious challenge.

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Prediction – Team Faceless

Dark Horse – Execration

European DAC Qualifiers

The teams competing in the European qualifiers all posses the ability to gain qualification, and challenge at the main event. This must be the most hotly contested qualifying groups in recent history. Teams in EU have a right to feel hard done by. These qualifiers will also be the first time that B)ears has played together.

Group A

Ad Finem

B)ears (FATA’s Team)

Natus Vincere

Team Secret

Group B

Team Liquid

Ninjas in Pyjamas (Formely January 25th)

Alliance

Cloud9

What to expect

Group A is the group of death. Any of the four teams that are in the group have the ability to qualify for the main event. This will be the first showing of FATA’s team B)ears who seem to be the weakest team in the group.

Group B contains the 35k God Squad, Team Liquid. Liquid secured a spot at StarLadder with a dominant qualifying run. Liquid hopes to dominate StarLadder and rise to prominence once again on the world stage.

Ones to watch

Any of the teams in this qualifier could easily qualify for the main event. Team Liquid look to be the favorites based on recent results, but the new Navi roster looks to be gelling well. Navi v Secret in round one of the groups is an ode to a team gone by, but may shape the rest of Group A.

Having been picked up by NiP, Synderen’s team hopes to take advantage of a slightly weaker group to make it into the playoffs and cause some trouble. It is just unfortunate that there is only one qualification spot available, as a handful of top tier teams will fail to qualify.

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Prediction – Team Liquid

Dark Horse – Ninjas in Pyjamas

CIS DAC Qualifiers

Virtus Pro will be celebrating DAC’s decision to host CIS based regional qualifiers. Containing only a handful of challenges, and several tier three teams, VP will be looking to take advantage. Standing in their way is Vega Squadron and Team Empire, who can both cause trouble.

Group A

Virtus.Pro

Effect

Team Spirit

LQ

Group B

Vega Squadron

Comanche

Team Empire

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

What to expect

If you are hard pressed for time, missing the CIS qualifiers might not be the worst idea. A region that has a huge difference between the top and bottom teams will often provide uninteresting games.

VP should capitalize in the qualifiers if they perform to their potential, something that is easier said than done.

Ones to watch

Virtus Pro are the favorites and should dominate the qualifiers. The main challenge will be from Vega and Empire. VP struggled at Dota Pit, so Vega and Empire may be able to capitalize on some of the cracks. However, VP should kick back into gear and steam roll the qualifiers.

Vega and Empire have unluckily been grouped together in Group B. Should both of them make it out, they will be hoping to cause an upset over strong favorites VP.

Image courtesy of teamliquid.net

Prediction – Virtus Pro

Dark Horse – Team Empire

Final Thoughts

Whilst the qualifiers are set to showcase some of the best Dota in the world, the lack of qualification spots may eventually limit the main event. Europe especially will be feeling the strain with eight of the best teams in the world competing for one qualification spot. For the teams that do not qualify, it will be a good opportunity for teams to prepare for the Kiev Qualifiers which are fast approaching.

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With Dota Pit in the books, it’s time to take a look back at the event. From great games to time delays, Dota Pit definitely had some good moments, some bad moments, and some moments in between.

The Good – Dota Pit

The Grandest of Finals

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Having matched up in the Winners Finals, EG swept OG aside in emphatic fashion, finishing the series 2 – 0. Fans may have been worried that the Grand Finals would follow the same suit, but this was not the case. The Grand Finals went the full best of five, with OG being up 2-1 going into game four. EG managed to turn it around, mainly due to Arteezy’s excellent Lone Druid play. The series showed that OG and EG are still the teams to beat, even on a new patch. Demonstrating some amazing plays throughout, teams will need to be wary of these teams moving forward.

Le Balanced Fire Spirit

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After seeing mixed success at ESL One Genting, Ember made a resurgent return at Dota Pit. He was the most picked hero in the tournament, being picked 16 times and boasting a massive 81% win rate. Some teams have tried to counter the rise of Ember by picking up Invoker. This was very unsuccessful however. Invoker was picked up six times in matches against Ember, only winning one of those games. The Veil build-up allows Ember to be active early, a problem he suffered with in previous patches. In a meta that seems to be leaning more towards magical damage, the current Ember Veil combo seems to be here to stay. Teams will need to start finding ways to defeat this build.

Team Faceless show their true faces

Image taken at The Summit 6. Courtesy of esportsedition.com

Many people did not expect much from Faceless at this event, myself included as I had predicted them to finish 7th / 8th. Faceless managed to mount an impressive losers bracket run through the perilous best of one matches. Facing off against EG in the first game they played will have left Faceless fans fearing the worst. In fact, Faceless put up a valiant fight against EG, winning game one, but eventually losing the series 2-1.

In their losers bracket run, Faceless defeated DC, VP, and IG before eventually falling to OG in the losers bracket final. It can be argued that the best of one lower bracket games did work in Faceless’ favor, but the conditions were the same for every team.

Faceless proved that they can be contenders on the world stage with a strong third place finish. They will be hoping to build on this into the SEA StarLadder qualifiers.

Who needs Sniper when you have Lone Druid

Image courtesy of dotabuff.com

The addition of Talent Trees has opened up new ways to play heroes that for the longest time have had the same item build-ups. Lone Druid is one of the heroes most changed by the new Talent Tree options, which has brought forward the possibility of focusing more on building up items on LD rather than his bear. At ESL One Genting, LD was only picked once, and that was in a game that Wings Gaming went on to lose.

In this event, however, he was picked six times, all on the last day, and boasted an impressive 83% win rate. LD was completely ignored on days one and two of the event, and was only picked up by both EG and OG. With the dominance that EG primarily were able to show with the hero, expect to see LD appearing in more and more pro games coming up.

The Bad – Dota Pit

Schedule, what schedule?

Image courtesy of ambassador-baptist.org

Whilst the games at Dota Pit were great, managing to actually play them seemed like a bit of an issue. All three days suffered from delays, with the largest delay being a whopping four hours during the Grand Finals. The amount of delays for an event of this caliber is simply unacceptable. As a fan watching, it was unbearable at times, listening to the same playlist over and over on the Dota Pit stream. It definitely deterred people from watching the stream. The effect on the players was easy to see at the trophy ceremony, with the members of EG looking visibly exhausted when accepting the trophy.

What a difference two weeks makes

Image courtesy of twitter.com

Two weeks prior to Dota Pit, Digital Chaos took home the first place finish at ESL One Genting. Many people predicted DC to finish in the top three at Dota Pit. This did not happen, however. Following a disappointing day one, DC was eliminated from the tournament, finishing 7th / 8th. Being knocked out on the first day definitely hurt DC. It will be interesting to see how they bounce back from the event. Fans may argue that the format definitely played against DC, as they never really had a chance to get going. However, in the games they did play, DC looked out of sorts and a completely different side to the team that finished first at ESL One Genting.

That little something missing

Image courtesy of dotablast.com

Over the last couple of months, Dota fans have been treated to the best of the best in terms of desk hosts, with both ReDeYe and Machine proving that they are among the world’s elite hosts. Dota Pit however had neither of these names, and instead had KotL Guy and Sheever sharing the hosting duties. Now whilst I like both Sheever and KotL Guy as analysts / commentators, I felt that they did not make the best fit as hosts. This goes back to the recent discussion I had with ReDeYe, where he explained that sometimes it is detrimental if a host has extensive game knowledge, as they may dominate discussion. This was something that did happen on a few occasions during the event.

As a fan, I hope to see both ReDeYe and Machine attending more Dota events in the future. I also hope to see both KotL Guy and Sheever return as analysts / casters.

Best of ones are probably not for the best

Image courtesy of twitter.com

After waiting until two days before the event to announce the format, there was a lot of speculation among fans. However, Dota Pit shocked a few people by announcing best of one games for all the lower bracket games, including the lower bracket finals. Many people are fans of the best of one games as they can provide some of the most interesting matches in the tournament. From a viewers perspective, the best of one lower bracket games missed the mark, as fan favorites DC were eliminated straight away after falling into the lower bracket.

The scheduling of the days also seemed to be a bit bottom heavy, in that the majority of games were played on the last day. Normally the games per day reduce as you move through the tournament. Dota Pit opted for the opposite strategy. For the players that made it to the final day, the scheduling must have been extremely tiring. Combine this with the heavy delays, and Dota Pit was probably not the best tournament to compete in.

HONORABLE Mention – Dota Pit

Bringing the hype like no other

Image courtesy of youtube.com

It was announced that the stage host of Counter Pit, aka E-sports Hype Guy, would be hosting Dota Pit. He did not disappoint, from the first event to the last, he put a ton of effort in. Even after a massive four hour delay, he still attempted to hype up an exhausted crowd to cheer until the end.

Final Thoughts

Although there were some great games at Dota Pit, the heavy delays made this an event to forget. Overall, due to the heavy delays and awful stream playlist, Dota Pit Season 5 Finals is getting a Report and some time in Low Priority.

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For the last three days eight of the worlds best teams ascended to the dizzy heights of the Genting Highlands to wage war in the arena of Dota. Lets recap what has happened throughout the event and also look at what the event showed us about the 7.01 meta.

Day 1 Recap

Group A: Virtus Pro v Fnatic – Best of 1

The Draft

Fnatic

Mushi – Lifestealer

InYourDreams – Templar Assassin

Ohiayo – Slardar

Febby – Bounty Hunter

Yamateh – Lina

Image courtesy of Youtube.com

Virtus Pro (VP)

Ramzes – Juggernaut

No[o]ne – Outworld Devourer (OD)

9Pasha – Omnikinight

Lil – Earth Spirit

Solo – Rubick

Both teams came out with pretty standard drafts. Nothing that really set the tournament alight, but considering that this was a best of one its not a surprise.

Game Recap

The early game went well for both teams and was pretty passive, at 10 minutes it was 4-5 kills for VP and Fnatic respectively. VP had eked out a small 100 gold lead a following a string of failed ganks and rough team fights, but by 20 minutes the story looked slightly different. VP now had the lead in kills, 13-9, and were also ahead 5,000 gold in the net worth chart. At this point in the game the cores of VP had started to become a problem. With Juggernaut and OD sitting atop the networth chart, a good 1,000 gold ahead of Lifestealer, things were starting to slip away from Fnatic.

The next two minutes however would bring about the beginning of the end for the game. After taking Roshan and having Juggernaut with a completed Manta Style, VP realised it was time to capitalise. By 22 minutes VP had turn one tier two tower into a full lane of rax. From this point on the result was academic as VP continued to take objectives until Fnatic called “GG” after 26 minutes.

Result : – Virtus Pro victory.

With this result VP progressed to play either Newbee or Team NP for first the seed in Group A. Fnatic however dropped down to face the loser of that match in the first elimination match.

Group A: Newbee v Team NP – Best of 1

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Lifestealer

Sccc – Queen of Pain (QoP)

Kpii – Centaur Warruner

Kaka – Mirana

Faith – Shadow Demon (SD)

Image courtesy of Youtube.com

Team NP

Aui_2000 – Luna

Eternal Envy – Windrager

MSS – Dark Seer

Rose – Spirit Breaker

SVG – Ogre Magi

NP seemed to have a draft advantage in this game with a good “wombo-combo” with Dark Seer Vacuum into Spirit Breaker Charge. Newbee however had good ways to disengage if NP initiated.

Game Recap

This game was not as close as the first game of the day, instead it was a show of dominance from Newbee. Within the first 10 minutes Newbee had taken the lead in kills, 8-3 and had amassed a 10,000 gold networth lead.

This game showcased how good Song “Sccc” Chun is capable of performing as a mid player. Playing one of his signature heroes in Queen of Pain (QoP), Sccc dominated the game finish with 14 kills, one death and nine assists. Sccc was able to remain active on the map whilst also maintaining a very high level of farm, which saw him reach his item timings very early on the game.

Eventually after 46 minutes NP accepted defeat and called “GG”. NP however had something to be happy about despite the lose. Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling was able to stay close enough to Newbee’s cores in networth even though the majority of the map was controlled by Newbee. This was a good sign for NP as their Carry player was beginning to perform well moving forward into the rest of the tournament.

Result : – Newbee Victory

With this victory Newbee set up a Group A winners final between Virtus Pro and Newbee. Team NP would fall to face a knockout match against Fnatic on day two.

Group B: Digital Chaos (DC) v Execration – Best of 1

The Draft

Digita Chaos

w33 – Meepo

Resolut1on – Luna

Moonmeander – Axe

Misery – Rubick

Saksa – Tusk

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Exceration

Nando – Weaver

Gabbi – Timbersaw

Dj – Sand King

Owa – Slardar

Kimo – Shadow Demon

In their first game of the tournament DC immediately picked up the Aliwi “w33” Omar Meepo. Arguably the best Meepo in the world, fans watching the games were filled with excitement at what was to come.

Game Recap

Within the first 10 minutes of this game it looked as if Execration were more than up to the task of defeating the TI6 (The International) runners-up. Execration where able to take the advantage in kills in the first 15 minutes, taking the lead 12 – 5. Despite this lead in kills however, Execration were unable to prevent both Meepo and Luna from farming consistently for the first 15 minutes.

Unfortunately for Execration, following a couple of disastrous team-fights which saw them lose four heroes each time, by the 25 minute mark DC had taken the advantage with a 20,000 net worth lead. At this point the game was beyond the grips of Execration who chose to “GG” out following a great base fight by DC.

Result : – DC Victory

DC took the game to set up the winners final against Wings Gaming or WG.Unity. Execration would face the loser of the next match in a knockout game on day two.

Group B :- Wings Gaming v Warriorsgaming.Unity (WGU) – Best of 1

The Draft

Warriorsgaming.Unity

Ahjit – Morphling

Nana – Tiny

KanGaroo – Puck

Ahfu – Ogre

xNova – Skywrath Mage

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Vengeful Spirit

Blink – Shadow Fiend

Faith_Bian – Slardar

Iceice – Pudge

y’ – Orace

Wings surprised people with the early Shadow Fiend pick (SF), while also by the end of the draft it was clear that the Vengeful Spirit was going to be playing in a core role. It seemed as if the innovative Wings Gaming had come in to the game with a strategy and rather than draft depending on what Warriorsgaming.Unity picked, they picked the heroes that they wanted to play.

Game Recap

Wings started the game by running an aggro-trilane top so that they could pressure the Morphling and stop him from pulling ahead. Unfortunately for Wings this did not quite work and instead limited the amount of farm that the carry Venge was able to get during the early game.

Within the first 10 minutes WG.Unity managed to amass a 2,000 networth lead over Wings. Having died three times within the first 10 minutes the decision to pick Venge in a carry role seemed to be the wrong one. The only saving grace was that Blinks SF had been dominating his lane and was atop the networth charts. This was until all five members of Wings were killed in a team-fight that would see WG.Unity lose no heroes and stretch their lead to 5,000 gold.

WG.Unity however had difficulty converting their large gold lead into taking objectives. Combine this with the fact that Wings were able to maintain control of the Roshan pit and claim the Aeiges of the Immortal consistently, WG.Unity looked like they were slowly losing hold of the game.

At the 36 minute mark WG.Unity had a 9,000 gold net worth advantage, however they had not been able to successfully push high ground. Finally Wings were able to punish WG.Unity multiple times, including in the deciding fight at the Roshan pit which would see WG.Unity call “GG”.

Result:- Wings Gaming Victory

This victory would set up the Group B winners final match between Digital Chaos and Wings Gaming

Group A Winners Match :- Virtus Pro v Newbee – Best of 3

Game 1

The Draft

Uuu9 – Drow Ranger

Sccc – Queen of Pain (QoP)

Kpii – Nyx Assassin

Kaka – Weaver

Faith – Witch Doctor

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Virtus Pro

Ramzes – Luna

No[o]ne – Juggernaut

9Pasha – Batrider

Lil – Pudge

Solo – Disruptor

Newbee made the decision to open with Drow and Weaver, something which VP has almost exclusively used in recent times. Going into the game it seemed as if Newbee had an advantage based on the draft.

Game Recap

Sccc was again given the opportunity to play Queen of Pain, one of the heroes he is best known for. His ability on the hero shone throw as we was able to maintain harass on the mid Jugernaught and eventually solo kill him in the first 4 minutes of the game.

Newbee showed the control that Chinese Dota teams are renowned for and were and grabbed control of the game and did not let go. It seemed as if VP were not expecting the support Weaver and also the Sccc QoP and they were heavily punished. After losing the decisive team fight at the 38 minute mark, VP realised they were too far behind and called “GG” to end game one.

Result:- Newbee Victory

Game 2

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Ursa

Sccc – Outworld Devourer

Kpii – Sandking

Kaka – Pudge

Faith – Witch Doctor

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Virtus Pro

Ramzes – Juggernaut

No[o]ne – Shadow Fiend

9Pasha – Underlord

Lil – Io

Solo – Disruptor

The first Underlord pick of the tournament made most fans excited. The panel were very surprised by the last pick Io and maybe Newbee were too.

Game Recap

The beginning of game two looked to be going in a similar way to game one as Newbee took an early lead of 3,000 gold at the 13 minute mark. Unfortunately for Newbee this was also the same time that Underlord would finish his Mekansm. With the Mekansm in hand VP were able to group as five and begin to push.

VP managed to gain control of the map and with a lineup containing heavy sustain and were able to end the game at the 22 minute mark with Newbee calling “GG”.

Result:- Virtus Pro Victory

Game 3

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Lifestealer

Sccc – Queen of Pain (QoP)

Kpii – Centaur Warruner

Kaka – Mirana

Faith – Shadow Demon (SD)

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Virtus Pro

Ramzes – Juggernaut

No[o]ne – Shadow Fiend

9Pasha – Slardar

Lil – Weaver

Solo – Abaddon

Having already played this lineup earlier in the day it seemed as if Newbee had the advantage going in to the deciding game of the series.

Game Recap

Game three of the series was unlike any game that had been seen on day one of ESL One Genting. The reason for this is that it was a show of complete dominance from Newbee.

Sccc on his signature QoP for the third time in the day, again proved why teams would have to potentially waste a ban on eliminating QoP from the game. Ending with 10 kills, 0 deaths and 12 assists Sccc completely tore apart VP.

VP looked a shadow of the team from game two as they let Newbee run away with the game. Eventually after 32 minutes VP finally admitted defeated and “GG” was called.

Result:- Newbee Victory

With the victory Newbee took top spot in Group A progressing directly through to the semi finals on day three. Virtus Pro would fall and face the winner of Fnatic v Team NP

Final Score: – Newbee 2 – Virtus Pro 1

Group B Winners Match :- Digital Chaos v Wings Gaming

Game 1

The Draft

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Gyrocopter

Blink – Shadow Fiend

Faith_bian – Sand King

Iceice – Winter Wyvern

y’ – Rubick

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Viper

w33 – Meepo

Moonmeander – Dark Seer

Misery – Slardar

Saksa – Dazzle

This was an interesting draft for two reasons. The first was that DC picked the Meepo in the first phase, although they did ban out two of the possible Meepo counters in Ember Spirit and Sven they still left Winter Wyvern in the pool. Wings then responded by picking Shadow Fiend and Winter Wyvern along with a last pick Gyrocopter.

Overall it seemed that if executed correctly Wings had the stronger of the two drafts.

Game Recap

With Resolution going to the mid lane and Meepo going to the safe lane this was a switch up in roles for DC, which Wings took the opportunity to punish. Throughout the game Winter Wyvern was able to completely take Meepo out of the fight using his ultimate, Winters Curse, to lock down one of the Meepo’s leading to his eventual death.

With Meepo being shut down, it would fall to Viper to carry DC to victory. Unfortunately for DC this was not the case, Wings were able to limit the farm of Viper and with SF taking a lead in the early game things began to get out of control. After defending valiantly against the push from Wings, DC eventually succumbed to the pressure and called “GG” at the 47 minute mark.

Result:- Wings Gaming Victory

Game 2

The Draft

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Terrorblade

Blink – Ursa

Faith_bian – Slardar

Iceice – Riki

y’ – Warlcok

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Naga Siren

w33 – Mirana

Moonmeander – Legion Commander

Misery – Leshrac

Saksa – Vengeful Spirit

This draft was a flashback to a land of times gone by. Both teams would have been comfortable playing in 6.88 so it was interesting to see how it would play out in 7.01 with the changes to illusions.

Game Recap

DC was the happier of the two teams as they were able to pick up Naga Siren, a hero that Roman “Resolut1on” Fominok is well known for.

The early game was very back and forth with Wings taking an early lead but due to the farming speed of Naga they were not able to create as big a lead as they would have liked.

As with all Naga games the clock hit 30 minutes and it became a foregone conclusion. If not for some sloppy play and over committal from DC the game could have been over at the 40 minute mark. As it was, Wings were unable to punish DC and eventually surrendered to the Naga tidal wave at the 57 minute mark.

Result:- Digital Chaos Victory

Game 3

The Draft

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Lone Druid

Blink – Juggernaut

Faith_bian – Beastmaster

Iceice – Crystal Maiden

y’ – Bounty Hunter

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Wraith King

w33 – Ember Spirit

Moonmeander – Omniknight

Misery – Pudge

Saksa – Rubick

Moving in to the final game of the series, DC pulled out a draft that you would only normally see in low priority. Wings also went for something unpredictable by picking Lone Druid in the carry position.

Game Recap

With progression to the semi final and a favourable seed as reward for the winner of this game, both teams were conservative out of the gate.

In the early game Wings were able to get the lead in farm, with Chu “Shadow” Zeyu’s Lone Druid topping the networth chart. Shadow had opted to focus on the new Druid build that focused on getting farm on his hero rather than on his Spirit Bear. It seemed as if this was going to be a game that Wings were able to take the victory in.

DC however had different ideas, as they grouped up and made an aggressive smoke maneuver near the Dire Secret Shop at the 20 minute mark. This would prove to turn the tide of the game, as DC were able to secure four kills whilst Wings could only respond with one.

From that point on DC were able to maintain control and after another big teamfight Wings eventually admitted defeat and called “GG” at the 42 minute mark.

Result:- Digital Chaos Victory

With this win DC secured a place in bracket play on day three of the event. Wings gaming would face off against the winner of WG.Unity or Execration.

Final Score: – Digital Chaos 2 – Wings Gaming 1

Day 2 Recap

Day two of the tournament was the last day of group stages and the last chance the teams had to secure a place in bracket play.

Group A Knockout Match :- Fnatic v Team NP – Best of 3

Game 1

The Draft

Fnatic

Mushi – Medusa

InYourDreams – Queen of Pain

Ohaiyo – Slardar

Febby – Kepper of the light

Yamateh – Disruptor

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Team NP

Aui_2000 – Slark

EternalEnvy – Ember Spirit

MSS – Dark Seer

Rose – Spirit Breaker

SVG – Crystal Maiden

NP seemed to have an advantage when it came to the draft, and the last pick Slark seemed as if it could be potentially game winning for NP.

Game Recap

As had become the trend by this point in the tournament, the first 15 minutes of the game were relatively even, however after that point NP took control and never looked back. EE playing his signature Ember Spirit provided a wonderful showing of how to position yourself when playing Ember. EE ended the game with 10 kills, 0 deaths and 24 assists. Combine that with Aui_2000’s Slark who ended up with 14 kills, 0 deaths and 24 assists, this game was a pleasure to watch.

NP managed to maintain map control through and were able to suffocate the resources of Fnatic. Eventually after 39 minutes Fnatic called “GG” and ended game one of the three game knockout series.

Result:- Team NP Victory

Game 2

The Draft

Team NP

Aui_2000 – Ursa

Eternal Envy – Mirana

MSS – Beastmaster

Rose – Undying

SVG – Warlock

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Fnatic

Mushi – Lifestealer

InYourDream – Tinker

Ohaiyo – Dark Seer

Febby – Riki

Yamateh – Disruptor

The last pick Tinker took many by surprise. This looked like it had the makings of an interesting game, with Fnatic facing elimination.

Game Recap

If game one was a show of dominance by NP, game two showed that they still have weaknesses.

Fnatic were able to maintain control of the early to mid game as NP struggled to contain both Lifestealer and Tinker. However even with a 14,000 gold networth lead Fnatic were unable to end the game.

Then the unthinkable happened.

Following a solo pick-off on the Tinker, NP were then able to kill the Tinker again in the next team-fight and also win the fight with minimal loses. From this point on it was NP who took the advantage and would eventually, after 74 minutes, force Fnatic into calling “GG”.

Result:- Team NP Victory

With this victory NP progressed to the Losers Final of Group A and would play against Virtus Pro. This was also the end of a disappointing tournament for Fnatic, who had only finalised their roster two days before the tournament, and it showed throughout the games they played.

It seemed as if XctN had the draft advantage going in to game one. They had managed to secure a very tanky lineup that seemed to counter what WG.Unity wanted to do with there lineup.

Game Recap

This game was settled in the draft, as WG.Unity did not have a great way to deal with the tanky lineup of XctN. In the first 15 minutes XctN began to pull out an early lead due to the good farm picked up by Luna as the early game progressed.

XctN were able to keep control of the game, however after losing a big team-fight it looked as if WG.Unity might have been shown a way back in to the game.

XctN decided that play time was over and took back control of the game, and the game ended at the 40 minute with a somewhat anti-climactic base race.

Result:- Execration Victory

Game 2

The Draft

WarriorsGaming.Unity

Ahjit – Morphling

Nana – Juggernaut

KanGaroo – Timbersaw

ahfu – Earth Spirit

xNova – Disruptor

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Execration

Nando – Puck

Gabbi – Naga Siren

Dj – Axe

Owa – Spirit Breaker

KimO – Winter Wyvern

The last pick Morphling gave WG.Unity the advantage going into game two.

Game Recap

The last pick of Morphling did indeed shape the game. XctN did not have an answer to Morphling and he was able to farm freely for the majority of the early game. XctN did try and put up a valiant fight however this game was all about the Morphlings ability to get kills and stay alive, whilst also maintaining an extremely high level of farm throughout the game.

XctN eventually conceded defeat and called “GG” after 26 minutes.

Result:- WarriorsGaming.Unity victory

Game 3

The Draft

Execration

Nando – Mirana

Gabbi – Meepo

Dj – Batrider

Owa – Earth Spirit

Kim0 – Silencer

Image courtesy of youtube.com

WarriorsGaming.Unity

Ahjit – Juggernaut

Nana – Alchemist

KanGaroo – Underlord

ahfu – Nyx Assassin

xNova – Winter Wyvern

XctN surprised fans with the Silencer + Meepo opening picks. WG.Unity responded with the Winter Wyvern which was shown by Wings to be an effective Meepo counter.

Game Recap

WG.Unity picked the Winter Wyvern to counter the Meepo, but unfortunately for them Execration built the rest of their lineup around preventing this from happening.

Similar to the previous game, WG.Unity had no way to deal with the Meepo and he eventually farmed them out of the game. In addition to this the plays shown by Dj on the Offlane Batrider allowed XctN to maintain a firm grip on the game.

Eventually at the 47 minute mark WG.Unity accepted defeated and called “GG” ending their time at ESL One Genting.

Result:- Execration Victory

With this victory XctN would set up a rematch from their first group match with Wings Gaming. WG.Unity however were eliminated from the tournament, and although they did not perform well their were glimmers of hope for the SEA side.

Final Score: – Execration 2 – WarriorsGaming.Unity 1

Group A Decider Match :- Team NP v Virtus Pro

The Draft

Team NP

Aui_2000 – Luna

EternalEnvy – Mirana

MSS – Sand King

Rose – Spirit Breaker

SVG – Warlock

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Virtus Pro

Ramzes – Ursa

No[o]ne – Sniper

9pasha – Underlord

Lil – Disruptor

Solo – Ogre Magi

Team NP managed to secure a tried and tested lineup with Aui’s Luna starting to become one of his most feared heroes. VP was happy they managed to pick up the Underlord, a hero they have already had success with in the tournament.

Game Recap

The first 15 minutes of this game was very back and forth between the two teams. There were a lot of scrappy fights, resulting in one or two kills each time. That was until a team-fight broke out in the mid lane which NP were able to take advantage of. After killing three members of VP, they were able to take Roshan.

Despite trying to contain VP, eventually the power of the sniper became apparent, as he was able to sit in the back and continuously rack up kills and take objectives.

NP continued to fight valiantly, and nearly staged a comeback. VP however decided that the game needed to finish and managed to force NP into submission, resulting in a “GG” call from NP at the 55 minute mark.

Result :- Virtus Pro Victory

Game 2

The Draft

Team NP

Aui_2000 – Slark

EternalEnvy – Ember Spirit

MSS – Dark Seer

Rose – Axe

SVG – Crystal Maiden

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Virtus Pro

Ramzes – Juggernaut

No[o]ne – Invoker

9pasha – Nyx Assassin

Lil – Slardar

Solo – Rubick

NP was happy with the draft as they had already played a very similar lineup in an earlier game. The difference this time is that VP decided to pick up Invoker who is one of the best counters to Ember Spirit.

Game Recap

This game was a showcase from VP on how to deal with an Ember Spirit. No[o]ne opted to go Quas/Wex Invoker to dispel Embers Flame Guard. Despite this disadvantage, NP managed to stay even with VP until the 14 minute mark.

Following a cataclismic fight on bottom lane, with NP losing five heroes, VP took control of the game.

Once VP had control of the game they did not surrender it. They managed to remain patient and controlled the map until NP called “GG” at the 33 minute mark.

Result :- Virtus Pro Victory

With this victory VP would advance to the semi finals to face Digital Chaos. NP were eliminated from the tournament finishing third in their group.

Final Score: – Virtus Pro 2 – Team NP 0

Group A Final Placing

Newbee

Virtus Pro

Team NP

Fnatic

Group B Decider Match :- Wings Gaming v Execration

Game 1

The Draft

Execration

Nando – Mirana

Gabbi – Invoker

Dj – Dark Seer

Owa – Spirit Breaker

Kim0 – Crystal Maiden

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Juggernaut

Blink – Ember Spirit

Faith_bain – Magnus

Iceice – Underlord

y’ – Rubick

Having seen the success of Invoker against Ember Spirit, XctN decided to pick it up in this game.

Game Recap

This was a game of two halves. For the first 15 minutes, it was dominated by XctN, as they were able to pressure the Ember Spirit in the mid lane. Ember reached the 15 minute mark with five deaths and was behind on farm. Luckily for Wings, Juggernaut and Magnus were managing to stay close to XctN in terms of farm.

After the 15 minute mark however the game turned around. Suddenly it was Wings winning all of the team fights and getting all the objectives around the map. Eventually, the pressure from Wings became too much for XctN to handle and they called “GG” at the 34 minute mark.

Result :- Wings Gaming Victory

Game 2

The Draft

Execration

Nando – Luna

Gabbi – Rubick

Dj – Slardar

Owa – Earth Spirit

Kim0 – Shadow Demon

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Lifestealer

Blink – Shadow Fiend

Fait_bian – Centaur Warruner

Iceice – Earthshaker

y’ – Vengeful Spirit

A mid Rubick ?!?!? It seemed as if Wings had the draft advantage going into game two.

Game Recap

If game one was close, this game was the opposite. The early game was very passive, seeing only one kill in the first 10 minutes. Both teams stuck to farming and generally avoiding each other. Based on this, Gabbi made the decision to buy a Hand of Midas and get the Level 10 Talent that gives him 60 Gold per minute. The casters, especially Purge, seemed unhappy with this decision, as it would slow down his item timings.

The decision was proven to be an incorrect one, as XctN began to struggle against the line up of Wings once they decided to start pushing as a team. Following the consumption of nearly all the farm on the map, Wings began to push high-ground.

Wings were able to push XctN’s base with minimal loses, and eventually XctN admitted defeat and called “GG” after 42 minutes.

Result :- Wings Gaming Victory

Having secured the series Wings set up an all Chinese semi finals, as they faced off against Newbee. XctN were eliminated from the tournament finishing third in their group.

Final Score: – Wings Gaming 2 – Execration 0

Group B Final Placing

Digital Chaos

Wings Gaming

Execration

WarriorsGaminug.Unity

Day 3 Recap

Semi Final 1 : Digital Chaos v Virtus Pro – Best of 3

Game 1

The Draft

Virtus Pro

Ramzes – Luna

No[o]ne – Tiny

9pasha – Underlord

Lil – Chen

Solo – Witch Doctor

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Juggernaut

w33 – Queen of Pain

Moonmeander – Sand King

Misery – Leshrac

Saksa – Shadow Demon

Interesting drafts from both sides heading into game one.

Game Recap

Game one of the series was very back and forth, with both teams surrendering leads.

In the early game, DC started strong, leading over VP at the ten minute mark. VP however were not frightened by the lead of DC, as they decided to take and win a big team-fight on the top lane, which gave them the advantage.

VP kept control of the map until the 20 minute mark, when DC took and won another team-fight with VP. From this moment on the game was pretty much in DC’s hands as they were able to push objectives consistently whilst also limiting the ability of VP to do the same.

Eventually, after 40 minutes, VP admitted defeat and called “GG” ending game one.

Result :- Digital Chaos Victory

Game 2

The Draft

Virtus Pro

Ramzes – Juggernaut

No[o]ne – Ember Spirit

9pasha – Underlord

Lil – Earth Spirit

Solo – Lion

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Chaos Knight

w33 – Invoker

Moonmeander – Sand King

Misery – Mirana

Saksa – Shadow Demon

DC decided to pick the Invoker to counter out Ember Spirit which had seen mixed results in the tournament.

Game Recap

The early game of game two was very similar to that of game one, with both teams vying for map control. However, at around the 15 minute mark, DC was able to engage VP in a team-fight and come away with the advantage.

VP managed to stage a comeback, mainly due to Ramzes` Juggernaut farming very well and staying atop the networth charts.

Fast forward to the 27 minute mark and DC were again able to take a big team-fight victory, and began to push VP back inside their base. DC continued to hold the lead for the next ten minutes until VP made one last desperation play and jumped in on DC at the 38 minute mark.

DC however would come out on top, completely wiping VP, resulting in a “GG” call by VP at the 38 minute mark.

Result :- Digital Chaos Victory

With this win DC would move to the final to play the winner of Newbee v Wings Gaming. VP would be sent home with the top four finish.

Final Score: – Digital Chaos 2 – Virtus Pro 0

Semi Final 1 : Newbee v Wings Gaming – Best of 3

Game 1

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Lifestealer

Sccc – Templar Assassin

Kpii – Slardar

Kaka – Winter Wyvern

Faith – Ogre Magi

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Drow Ranger

Blink – Dragon Knight

Faith_bian – Mirana

Iceice – Rubick

y’ – Oracle

Newbee had a very solid draft heading into game one.

Game Recap

This game was much like many of the others that Newbee had played throughout the tournament, in that they gained control from minute one and did not let go until the end.

The first 15 minutes of this game were very calm, with Newbee puling ahead and Wings having little to no answer for the power of the Newbee draft. At the 18 minute mark, the fate of the game was sealed, as Newbee won a team-fight, taking down all of Wings whilst not losing any heroes.

Wings held on for another 10 minutes, but eventually admitted defeat and “GG” was called at 29 minutes.

Result :- Newbee Victory

Game 2

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Drow Ranger

Sccc – Templar Assassin

Kpii – Clockwerk

Kaka – Weaver

Faith – Ogre Magi

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Morphling

Blink – Necrophos

Faith_bian – Centaur Warruner

Iceice – Mirana

y’ – Witch Doctor

Wings surprised many with the Necrophos pick up. Would it prove to be a game changer?

Game Recap

Game two was a very different game from the first of the series, and showed a side of Newbee that had not been seen yet, that they were not all-powerful.

Newbee managed to get out to an early lead, and by the 20 minute mark they had amassed a 15,000 gold lead in the networth charts. Unfortunately for Newbee, no matter how many fights they won, they were unable to kill the Necrophos played by Blink.

As a result, Wings started to come back, and in a game where they were behind for 45 minutes, they eventually managed to overwhelm Newbee and the “GG” was called at 46 minutes.

Result :- Wings Gaming Victory

Game 3

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Drow Ranger

Sccc – Medusa

Kpii – Clockwerk

Kaka – Rubick

Faith – Ogre Magi

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Wings Gaming

Shadow – Vengeful Spirit

Blink – Shadow Fiend

Faith_bian – Broodmother

Iceice – Earthshaker

y’ – Dazzle

With eyes on the final, Wings surprised everyone with a last pick Broodmother.

Game Recap

With a spot in the final on the line, both teams started out cautious and were even in farm until the 20 minute mark. Wings gaming grouped up early and began to take objectives, eventually amassing a 17,000 gold lead after 35 minutes.

Wings would have thought that they would be able to overpower Newbee. However, as a team known for their high-ground defense, Newbee was able to rebuff the push of Wings on multiple occasions. They were also able to win back to back team-fights, and eventually remove Wings’ gold lead.

Newbee began to stretch out a lead of their own, as Medusa began to take over the game. By 55 minutes, Newbee had turned the tables and were now 15,000 gold ahead of Wings. This lead was still not enough for them to finish the game, as Wings made use of the Broodmother to constantly split push, which was a problem for Newbee.

Newbee however remained calm and in control. Eventually after winning a team-fight, they were able to take the victory, with Wings admitted defeat and calling “GG” at the hour mark.

Result :- Newbee Victory

Newbee took the game and the series to set up a much anticipated clash with Digital Chaos. Wings would end up finishing in the top four along with Virtus Pro.

Final Score: – Newbee 2 – Wings Gaming 1

Grand Final : Digital Chaos v Newbee – Best of 5

Game 1

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Lifestealer

Sccc – Outworld Devourer

Kpii – Slardar

Kaka – Sand King

Faith – Disruptor

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Juggernaut

w33 – Shadow Fiend

Moonmeander – Legion Commander

Misery – Pudge

Saksa – Rubick

The OD pick seemed like it might cause DC some problems in team-fights.

Game Recap

This was a game that again showed the power of Newbee and their ability to control a game. The OD pick did turn out to be a problem for DC in team-fights.

Every time that Legion jumped in and Dueled an opponent, OD would be there with his Astral Imprisonment to disrupt the Duel. As a result, Legion was not able to amass many Duel wins, and ended the game with only 24 bonus damage, compared to OD and Lifestealer both ending with 28 bonus damage.

Sccc’s OD proved to be the major difference in this game, as he finished with 14 kills, 0 deaths and 8 assists. Newbee was able to control the game, and eventually, after a string of lost team-fights, DC admitted defeat and called “GG” at the 37 minute mark.

Result :- Newbee Victory

Game 2

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Morphling

Sccc – Ember Spirit

Kpii – Dark Seer

Kaka – Slardar

Faith – Witch Doctor

Image of youtube.com

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Naga Siren

w33 – Ursa

Moonmeander – Legion Commander

Misery – Keeper of the Light

Saksa – Rubick

Newbee allowed DC to pick up the Naga Siren, did they have an answer for the hero?

Game Recap

Game two can be separated into two halves, before Naga got Radiance and after Naga got Radiance. Unfortunately for Newbee, both of which were dominated by DC.

The early game started with a string of failed ganks on Ursa in the mid lane. Newbee attempted to pressure w33’s Ursa, however, he was able to turn around the ganks and take two heroes with him to the grave. During this time, Naga was farming freely and heading towards a good Radiance timing.

Naga picked up her Radiance at 14 minutes, and from then on the game was just a matter of how long Newbee could hold on. The answer to that question was 53 minutes.

Newbee valiantly attempted to hold their high-ground, however DC were patient and forced all the lanes in at the same time, using Naga illusions. Eventually it was too much for Newbee, and they called “GG” at 53 minutes.

Result :- Digital Chaos Victory

Game 3

The Draft

Newbee

Uuu9 – Luna

Sccc – Shadow Fiend

Kpii – Underlord

Kaka – Sand King

Faith – Witch Doctor

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Juggernaut

w33 – Outworld Devourer

Moonmeander – Dark Seer

Misery – Slardar

Saksa – Rubick

Seeing the success of the OD earlier in the series, DC decided to pick it up for themselves.

Game Recap

Game three followed the same equation as game one, Newbee got the lead and kept it. The OD pick from DC did not provide the same success for them and seemed to be out of place in their draft.

DC spent much of the early game forcing Kpii’s Underlord out of the lane and into the Jungle. This however was not enough, and Underlord instead spent the majority of the early game roaming and setting up kills on the mid OD.

Sccc managed to control the game, playing his signature Shadow Fiend. After claiming the Aegis, Newbee made the decision to group together and push for objectives. This decision payed off, as DC were eventually forced to tap out at the 29 minute mark with a “GG” call.

This win put Newbee up 2-1 in the series. DC needed to win the next game to stay alive in the finals.

Result :- Newbee Victory

Game 4

The Draft

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Slark

w33 – Leshrac

Moonmeander – Sand King

Misery – Bounty Hunter

Saksa – Shadow Demon

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Newbee

Uuu9 – Luna

Sccc – Dragon Knight

Kpii – Underlord

Kaka – Io

Faith – Witch Doctor

DC came out with a surprise mid Leshrac, something that had not been seen in a long time. Would this surprise be enough to keep them in the tournament?

Game Recap

Having lost game three by a pretty big margin, most people expected DC to be on the ropes. Instead, they came out fighting. W33 spent the first couple of minutes using his taunt at the rune spots.

Newbee had made the decision to go for a high mobility lineup, but DC were not going to play into Newbee’s hands. In fact, it was the opposite. DC was able to push into the lineup of Newbee. During this time, DC was able to create the space for Resolut1on to be able to farm freely on his Slark, and by the 20 minute mark he had a fully completed Silver Edge.

Slark would prove to be the game winner, as he became too powerful for Newbee to kill, and would eventually finish the game with 9 kills, 0 deaths and 2 assists.

After 29 minutes of dominance from DC and realizing that they were too far behind, Newbee called “GG” and set up a deciding game five.

Result :- Digital Chaos Victory

Game 5

The Draft

Digital Chaos

Resolut1on – Lifestealer

w33 – Queen of Pain

Moonmeander – Centaur Warruner

Misery – Mirana

Saksa – Shadow Demon

Image courtesy of youtube.com

Newbee

Uuu9 – Luna

Sccc – Templar Assassin

Kpii – Sand King

Kaka – Orge Magi

Faith – Witch Doctor

After three days of intense competition, it came down to one game for all the marbles. $100,000 was on the line, who would come out victorious?

Game Recap

With the crowd behind them, DC got out to an early lead in the deciding game five. Newbee attempted to take fights, but DC kept getting the better of them, and at this point the wheels began to fall off the Newbee train.

Image courtesy of github.com

With the crowd willing them on, DC moved from fight to fight, objective to objective, carried by some higher power. Icefrog was smiling down on DC from his high tower.

Resolut1on again dominated the game, this time playing Lifestealer, ending the game with 14 kills, 0 deaths, 8 assists.

Newbee began to crumble under the pressure of DC, and the end seemed to be near. Eventually, after one too many failed team-fights, Newbee finally admitted defeat at the 31 minute mark.

Result :- Digital Chaos Victory

Final Score: – Digital Chaos 3 – Newbee 2

Digital Chaos Wins ESL One Genting 2017

With that final match, DC took the tournament and the Cinderella story was complete. After finishing second at The International and top four at the Boston Major, many people were left wondering if DC had what it took to win a LAN tournament.

At ESL One, DC proved the doubters wrong and showed the dominance required to win the event and start strong in 2017.

Final Positions:

1st – Digital Chaos

2nd – Newbee

3rd / 4th – Virtus Pro + Wings Gaming

5th / 6th – Team NP + Execration

7th / 8th – Fnatic + WarriorsGaming.Unity

Final Thoughts

ESL One showcased some of the best teams in the world, and on the new patch the games were nothing short of amazing. In a tournament missing both Evil Genuises and OG, Digital Chaos was able to seize the opportunity and get their first ever LAN win.

DC proved that moving forward into the rest of the year, they are the team to fear, and with Dota Pit just two weeks away, the world class Dota is coming in fast.

For full highlights of all the games at ESL One Genting, visit Dota Digest

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